Dark Celt
by Valeny Detfigseno
Summary: A mix-match of fan fiction, rolled into one. Our hero and heroine risk their lives to protect their own worlds, and others. Join Tadhg Detfigseno and Valeny Nyx as their lives meet and merge in their task to hunt down and fight the Sooder Folley.
1. Prolouge

Otherworld - 3,600 years ago. . . .  
  
Gwendolyn Daeha gazed at those surrounding her, and her heart broke, yet what was going to happen needed to, this very situation a perfect example of how bad things have gone, despite her efforts. She was the heart & soul of her people, yet they were about to send her away, they would have striped her power if possible, but this was the worst they were capable of doing.  
  
The oldest of those surrounding her started to speak and she listened to beginning of a darkness for her people such as they had never before endured.  
  
ÒGwendolyn Daeha, you have insulted the integrity of our people with your recent marriage! You are no longer welcome in our forests. Your position as ruler of our people is not valid; we no longer recognise your claim. We will not be dragged down with you. You are forbidden to contact us once you leave. do you have anything to say?Ó  
  
Gwen would have quite happily gone without another word right then, but she felt the magic welling up, and knew it would not be denied, so she allowed it to flow through her, gifting her people with her Sight one last time.  
  
ÒThe Family Daeha will once again rule the forest folk, and all our cousins. She will come at the last to save our people and take her place, if you have not learned tolerance by then, you will find yourselves ruled by one who is, essentially, human. . .Ó  
  
Carpathian reality - 3,500 years ago. . . .  
  
Tadhg Detfigseno sighed, he was tired. He was a mere 50 years old and already he was tired, or as tired as one could get when they were incapable of feeling anything. Overall, not an encouraging sign for the future. Then again neither was the fact that he had lost his colour and emotions at 20, and was unable to mourn his parents when they died ten years later. Maybe it was that he had aged at rate closer to that of humans, either way he had a feeling it would be a long time before he found his lifemate, if he ever did, and he could only pray he lasted that long.  
  
The jarring sounds of a fight broke into his thoughts, and Tadhg cursed at his inattention. Even more so when he felt the taint of the undead. Moving quickly and silently he was upon the vampire before it even realised he was there, but just as he was about to make the killing blow, the crumpled, bloody figure on the ground stirred and moaned, drawing his attention. His eyes widened in shock, this was one of the elusive Kynney ny Keylley - the forest folk - a race only he believed was more than a fairy tale. He felt the attack too late to avoid it entirely, and winced as he felt the vampireÕs hand punch through the muscle of his back, just missing his heart as he pulled away and turned, plunging his own hand into the vampires chest. He stepped back, its heart clasped in his fist. As he called down energy to cleanse away what was left of the vampire, he figured it probably made things easier that none of his kind knew of his existence. Moving slowly to the form on the ground, slowing his heart and lungs as much as possible to conserve what little blood remained in his body, he checked to see if he - he could now tell it was a man - was still alive, and sent himself seeking outside his body.   
  
Govannan Nyx gasped as a heavy weight collapsed on him, thinking it was the creature that had attacked him. He scooted away and examined his wounds, surprised, he should be dead, but all that remained of his mortal (and not so mortal) wounds was a slight achiness. he looked up then, only just realising that the creature on the ground before him had not turned. That the condition he was in was due to his having come to the rescue.  
  
Govannan knew all about this manÕs race, the Carpathians, his people tended to avoid them at all costs. Yet there was something different about this one, he was only a fledgling in age, yet in appearance and power one would assume he was older. He should just leave, but something was holding him back. His Sight opened up when his hand brushed the manÕs face, showering him with impressions. He now knew hat he had to do, but there was no time to explain his breaking one of their prime rules to the Elders, the manÕs life was already slipping away. Taking a deep breath he slit his wrist, pressing it to the CarpathianÕs mouth, saying ÒDrink deep, I freely offer my blood that you may live.Ó He then started a healing chant of his own people, watching the silvery green mist form in the air and move toward the deep hole in the manÕs back, dissipating once itÕs work was finished.  
  
Once Govannan had felt that the Carpathian had drunk enough he removed his wrist and again murmured a healing chant, closing off the wound.  
  
Tadhg stirred, and, tasting traces of the rich blood he had just been fed raised an eyebrow. ÒYou are Kynney ny Keylley, why did you give me blood?Ó  
  
ÒYou are Carpathian, you needed it to survive. You used all your energy to heal me despite your own wound. By the way, I hadnÕt thought your kind believed in mine.Ó  
  
ÒThey donÕt. My name is Tadhg Detfigseno, and thank you.Ó  
  
ÒI am Govannan, the smith. And unfortunately it comes with a price.Ó  
  
Tadhg narrowed his eyes.  
  
ÒYou see there are different realities than just the one your people live in. My peopleÕs world is the border between these realities, and you are now able to move between them. The reason I am telling you this is that I now know that sometime in the future renegades of my people will join forces with the betrayers of your race. the other realities need protection that we will not be able to properly give.Ó  
  
Tadhg nodded. ÒFair enough.Ó  
  
Carpathian reality - Almost present day.  
  
Deep in the earth a heart started beating, and lungs pulled in their first breath of air for the night as the earth opened up. Tadhg rose to the surface, closing the ground behind him as he scanned the air for whatever it was that had disturbed his sleep. Then he felt it again, a small surge of feminine power sending a shiver down his back. His lifemate. He just knew it. Somewhere in this, his own, reality his lifemate had just been born. He would have been relieved if he had been able to feel anything. The darkness in his life would be gone relatively soon. 


	2. Chapter 1

Carpathian reality - present day  
  
Valeny Nyx smiled wryly, she had been in and out of the Carpathian Mountains for most of her life, and they still didnÕt know her secret. Mind you they didnÕt keep quite so close an eye on her as they believed her to be a non-psycic human. Little did they know.  
  
Even so they were good people for the most part and had trusted her with their secret. She sighed and glanced over at one of the oldest them. She couldnÕt help but laugh, Lucian sat there, his niece jiggling in his lap a tender smile on his face. He looked up at the sound and raised an eyebrow enquiringly. Eyes sparkling but mouth straight she murmured.  
  
ÒI must be going now, my cousins are waiting for me.Ó  
  
Lucian nodded, ÒDo you know how long youÕll be gone this time?Ó  
  
ÒNo, IÕm not sure how long my familyÕs business will need me this time. IÕll drop in when I get back.Ó  
  
Valeny walked a distance from the house she had just left, but before she could do anything a long familiar voice echoed in her mind.  
  
*Acushla...*  
  
She smiled, her heart lifting in joy. *Tadhg, please tell me you are free.*  
  
A ghost hand brushed its knuckles down her cheek, accompanied by the impression of tiredness, she knew how he felt, she may not be carpathian, but she had more power than Lucien and Gabriel combined, not that she could do much with it considering the rules constraining her movement. Quite frankly at this point in time it was more of a burden than a blessing.   
  
*Sadly I am indisposed at the moment, what of you?*  
  
*Ditto.*  
  
A sigh echoed in her mind at that statement.  
  
*Ah well, for some reason we cannot send our present positions. It would be so much easier for us both, I am getting tired of fighting off the darkness.*  
  
*It canÕt be much longer till our paths cross, weÕll go stir crazy otherwise.*  
  
They felt the link start to weaken.  
  
*Good-bye Tadhg.*  
  
*Slan agat.*  
  
Valeny swiped the tears from her eyes. This had to end. And soon! She was so lonely and tired, not to mention the hell Tadhg was going through.  
  
She murmured low, careful to hide any trace of power, and a silvery green mist formed around her. Moments later the clearing where she had stood was empty.  
  
Tortallan realm - after the Scanran War  
  
King Jonathan, gripped the parchment with a white-knuckled hand as he read the Lord Provosts report so far on the strange killings that had started a few nights ago. Bodies torn and mutilated, most of them female, and yet not a drop of blood left anywhere. There wasnÕt even any left in what remained of the bodes. It had to be magic, but not even Numair could find any trace of it. Jon rubbed at his temples, trying to relieve the growing headache.  
  
Just then there was a knock on the door and Daine entered, a large silver badger walking next to her. ÒExcuse me Your Highness, thereÕs someone who wants to speak to you.Ó  
  
Jon raised his eyebrows in question, then blinked. The badger had suddenly appeared on the table in front of him.  
  
*Hello*  
  
Jon cleared his throat. ÒAnd you are...?Ó  
  
Sigh. *I am the first male badger, the male badger god, if you like.* he shuffled his feet self consciously *Both the Greater gods and the Lesser gods are interested in the results of your investigations into these murders. Daine can convey any information through me.*  
  
ÒMay I ask why you are interested?Ó  
  
*There is something not right behind these murders which we canÕt see. It is unsettling.* With that last statement he vanished.  
  
Jon blinked, then indicated the pages of parchment in front of him. ÒIÕll send these to you once IÕve finished reviewing them.Ó  
  
Daine nodded and left. He shuddered to think what might happen next.  
  
As if in answer to his thoughts there was another knock on the door. His groan turned to a sigh of relief, and he smiled in welcome at his wife and co-ruler of Tortall, Queen Thayet.  
  
She smiled back, ÒI thought you might want some company. There is never anything pretty about murder.Ó  
  
ÒItÕs even more worrying when the gods take an interest.Õ  
  
ÒWhat?Ó Jon laughed weakly and told her of his earlier visitor. 


End file.
